Anchorage Daily News

TRAPPER CREEK -- A series of drug busts in Trapper Creek on Tuesday uncovered five marijuana growing operations and led to three arrests, with charges pending against other suspects, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Three Trapper Creek men were arrested on felony drug charges and charges against others are under review after the searches of homes and outbuildings, all within a few miles of each other.

Investigators executing four search warrants Tuesday found 384 marijuana plants along with a substantial amount of processed pot and a wide variety of growing equipment, troopers said. They also discovered a fifth operation that was unrelated to the others.

"It was just an investigation that kind of culminated all on one particular day because they were all in the same area. Some were related to one another, but not all of them were," said Lt. Andy Greenstreet, deputy commander of the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.

Charged in the growing operations are: Duane McCormick, 39, Gary McCormick, 38, and James Butts, 51. All are charged with fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, troopers said.

The other suspects were not named Wednesday.

ADVERTISEMENT